I just have to share this recipe with you guys, it just makes me very happy by just looking at it 😉 Besides that it’s such a color popping dessert that I think it is perfect for Christmas or during your festive dinner parties this year. I first had this dessert at sweet friend T’s place who had lived in England for quite a while. Its a very popular dessert there, so she’d mastered it.

Once I started thinking christmas dishes, I was thinking, red, green and white. Immediately this dessert came to mind. I did add a little twist to it, by adding in some basil sugar to give it a green pop. When strawberries are in full season, it’s easy to serve as a summer dessert too. Now in winter, you can use frozen red fruit too or raspberries. I first started looking for store bought meringues, but after two weeks of asking in bakeries and supermarkets, I realized I had to make it myself. So I did. I used a classic Surinamese recipe.
IMG 9387 1024x1024 - Eton Mess for Christmas

Recipe for Eton Mess  ~ 4 ppl

Ingredients
Meringues
20 Strawberries – cut up
Whipped cream
Basil sugar
Strawberry syrup

Method
In a glass, start layering everything.
First you start with crushing the meringues.
Add a layer of strawberries, a layer of whipped cream, strawberry syrup and top it off with some basil sugar.
Continue if desired.

Recipe for the Meringues (makes a bunch)
Ingredients
3 Egg whites

250 gr fine cristal sugar
Lemon zest (1 lemon)

Method
Lay some baking paper on to a baking tray.

In a mixer, whisk up egg whites, lemon zest and add in sugar bit by bit till you get very stiff silky white mixture.
The mixture should be so stiff that it wont move if you hold it up side down.

Transfer in to a piping bag and pipe your “meringues” on a baking tray.
Bake for 45 minutes on 100 C degrees. If they start browning, you need to put the heat down.

Recipe for the Basil sugar
Ingredients
2 big Basil leafs
1 TBsp of sugar

Method
In a mortar, add your basil and sugar and bash with a pestle till it forms a nice green sugar.

Recipe for the strawberry syrup
Ingredients

1 full TBsp Strawberry jam
3 TBsp Water

Method
Add the jam and water in a pan, stir and bring to boil. Let it cool afterwards.

Recipe for the whipped cream
Ingredients

250 ml Whip cream

Method

Follow the instructions on the package to get nicely thick whipped cream.
IMG 9388 1 1024x1024 - Eton Mess for Christmas
If you liked the recipe for this eton mess, be sure to have a look at the Xmas Granola and Lemon Ricotta Ravioli recipe I made or check out my other recipes or check the recipe index here

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